Trade volume on the overall market was $35.5 million. Of active shares, 44 fell, 42 rose and 21 were unchanged.

Argentine bond prices also slipped on jitters over the U.S. bailout plan. Locally traded government bonds fell 0.9 percent on average in over-the-counter trade, led by a 2.3 percent drop in the peso-denominated Par bond ARPARP=RASL.

Debt prices recovered slightly late in the session after President Cristina Fernandez said during a visit to New York that a European bank had joined three others in a proposal to strike a deal with “holdout” creditors who rejected a 2005 debt restructuring.

Earlier this week, the Argentine government said three banks representing holders of up to $10 billion in defaulted Argentine bonds had submitted a proposal to settle the dispute with creditors.

The delay in the U.S. financial plan also pressured the peso currency.

The peso, which is heavily controlled by the Central Bank, fell 0.16 percent to 3.115/3.1175 per dollar ARS=RASL in formal interbank trade. In informal trade between foreign exchange houses, as measured by Reuters, the peso strengthened 0.16 percent to 3.145/3.1475 per dollar ARSB=. (Reporting by Jorge Otaola; Writing by Kevin Gray; Editing by Leslie Adler)